Yoko Kanno
Miyagi, Japan | Died = | Origin = | Instrument = Keyboard, piano, accordion | Genre = Jazz Classical Orchestral Electronic New Age Blues Folk rock Electro Rock J-pop Art rock | Occupation = Composer, musician, conductor, Producer | Years_active = 1986–''present'' | Label = Victor Entertainment (flying DOG) | Associated_acts = Maaya Sakamoto, Nakajima Megumi, May'n TETSU100%, The Seatbelts, Samply Red, ORIGA | URL = | Notable_instruments = }} is a composer, arranger and musician best known for her work on the soundtracks for many games, anime films, TV series, live-action movies, and advertisements. She has written scores for famous animated works, including Macross Plus, Turn A Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, The Vision of Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Wolf's Rain, and is the most trusted composer by veteran and new-wave directors such as Yoshiyuki Tomino, Shinichiro Watanabe and Shoji Kawamori.Production IG Interview with Yoko Kanno for Ghost in the Shell: SAC Kanno has also composed music for J-pop artists, the most notable being Maaya Sakamoto and Kyōko Koizumi. She is also a skilled keyboardist, and is the frontwoman for The Seatbelts, who perform many of Kanno's compositions on the various original soundtracks for which she is responsible. Biography Professional Life Some of Yoko Kanno's most famous soundtrack themes include "Kiseki no Umi" (Lodoss War), "Voices" (Macross Plus), "Tank!" (Cowboy Bebop), "Yakusoku wa Iranai" (Escaflowne), "Gravity" (Wolf's Rain), "Inner Universe" (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and Stand Alone Complex O.S.T. In regards to making the Stand Alone Complex soundtrack she said: Having composed in various genres, including blues, classical, jazz, techno, and J-pop, she was once asked if she favored a particular genre: Since she works in the animation industry, she only receives instructions and storyboards from directors which helps her with composing. However, it is uncertain if all of her works are to be included in the finished project. She once said that this is a way she likes to work, for she doesn't have to deal with rules during composing.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0437819/bio In reference to this, she once stated: She was the lead member of the project band called The Seatbelts, which regrouped in the year of 2004 to compose the soundtrack of the PlayStation 2 Cowboy Bebop video game, released in Japan in 2005. She has composed for many Koei games released during the late 1980s to early 1990s and for Napple Tale, a Dreamcast game. Due to her close involvement in the Cowboy Bebop anime, the game released by Bandai also features her work. Apart from anime and games, Kanno also composes for live-action films and television commercials. Some popular brands she has composed for are Canon, DoCoMo, Fuji Xerox, Seven-Eleven, Microsoft, Nissan, Toyota, Shiseido, Avon, and Master Card to name a few. Grand Funk Inc. is her recording studio of choice in producing for these two media. Contributions to films started in the 90s but only since 2002 has there been a trend towards the medium. Most of the latter were shown in international film festivals. She has attended Otakon and Anime Expo in 1999, as well as Anime Expo New York in 2002. Personal life She was married to fellow composer Hajime Mizoguchi, with whom she collaborated on the soundtracks for Please Save My Earth and The Vision of Escaflowne. They divorced in 2007. In addition to Japanese, she speaks very little English and some French, but claims that her English is "poor" and she needs translation help to converse in French. In regards to spirituality and religion, she said: Gabriela Robin is a pseudonym that Kanno occasionally uses when she performs vocals. For a long time, the fact that Robin and Kanno were the same person was an unproven rumor. But, on July 7, 2009, Yoko Kanno performed as Gabriela Robin on her stage, proving the rumor to be true.Sibayan, Mai. Who is Gabriela Robin?. A Gabriela Robin Site. 2004–2007. Accessed 22 December 2008. Besides music, Kanno also enjoys photography and writing. She has written a number of journals for Newtype magazine of which photos for illustrations are done by Kanno herself as well,Pokkarishita Translation Project and a selection of photos taken by Kanno of her protogé and former production partner Maaya Sakamoto were featured in the special event program for Sakamoto's 2010 thirtieth birthday concert at Nippon Budokan. Discography Solo studio albums Anime works Video games Movie works TV work Works for associated acts Works for pop albums (In Order of Starting Year of Affiliation) Commercial music This is a list of companies that have commissioned Kanno for commercial music.Grand Funk Inc. Official Website Hired vocalists References External links * Yoko Kanno Japanese site * * Voices: An EX.org Exclusive Interview with Yoko Kanno * Yoko Kanno at the Internet Movie Database * Nippop Profile |Yoko Kanno * * Jmusic.fr.tc biography and discography * Yoko Kanno Project Category:1964 births Category:Anime composers Category:Video game composers Category:Female film score composers Category:Japanese film score composers Category:Women composers Category:Japanese composers Category:Living people Category:People from Miyagi Prefecture Category:Japanese female singers Category:Japanese keyboardists Category:Waseda University alumni ar:يوكو كانو ca:Yoko Kanno cs:Jóko Kanno de:Yōko Kanno es:Yōko Kanno fr:Yōko Kanno ko:간노 요코 it:Yōko Kanno hu:Kánno Jóko ja:菅野よう子 pl:Yōko Kanno pt:Yoko Kanno ru:Канно, Ёко simple:Yoko Kanno fi:Yōko Kanno tl:Yoko Kanno uk:Канно Йоко vi:Kanno Yoko zh:菅野洋子